From the territories to the genes: Developing sustainable multi-purpose sorghum value chains

To face global warming and fossil fuel depletion crisis, plant biomass will provide a renewable source of energy, materials and chemicals. Accordingly, agriculture will have to adapt not only to avoid competition between food-feed and non-food non-feed uses but also to ensure the economical and environmental sustainability of these productions. In this context, we are developing an integrative strategy merging genetics, breeding, material sciences, energy production, animal nutrition and socio economic analyses to accelerate the development of multipurpose sorghum value chains for both Mediterranean and tropical semi-arid conditions (West Africa). As a first step, new products (biocomposites) and uses (biomethane production) are being developed. Then the plant traits impacting the production and quality of the different end-products and uses are being identified taking advantage of the genetic diversity of sorghum. As a third step, the set-up of these key traits in the plant is being analyzed in order to describe their patterns of development / accumulation, their susceptibility to environmental constraints and provide some insights regarding their molecular determinism. Taking advantage of these functional information, the genomic regions impacting the key traits are being deciphered and used to develop new breeding tools and breeding strategies. In parallel, to maximize the probability to convert scientific results in local impacts, the different stakeholders of the value chains are being mobilized and territorial analyses aiming to assess the relevance of the different value chains are performed

Pancreatic surgery outcomes: multicentre prospective snapshot study in 67 countries

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic surgery remains associated with high morbidity rates. Although postoperative mortality appears to have improved with specialization, the outcomes reported in the literature reflect the activity of highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes following pancreatic surgery worldwide. METHODS: This was an international, prospective, multicentre, cross-sectional snapshot study of consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic operations worldwide in a 3-month interval in 2021. The primary outcome was postoperative mortality within 90 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore relationships with Human Development Index (HDI) and other parameters. RESULTS: A total of 4223 patients from 67 countries were analysed. A complication of any severity was detected in 68.7 per cent of patients (2901 of 4223). Major complication rates (Clavien–Dindo grade at least IIIa) were 24, 18, and 27 per cent, and mortality rates were 10, 5, and 5 per cent in low-to-middle-, high-, and very high-HDI countries respectively. The 90-day postoperative mortality rate was 5.4 per cent (229 of 4223) overall, but was significantly higher in the low-to-middle-HDI group (adjusted OR 2.88, 95 per cent c.i. 1.80 to 4.48). The overall failure-to-rescue rate was 21 per cent; however, it was 41 per cent in low-to-middle- compared with 19 per cent in very high-HDI countries. CONCLUSION: Excess mortality in low-to-middle-HDI countries could be attributable to failure to rescue of patients from severe complications. The authors call for a collaborative response from international and regional associations of pancreatic surgeons to address management related to death from postoperative complications to tackle the global disparities in the outcomes of pancreatic surgery (NCT04652271; ISRCTN95140761

Resolution of early stage diabetic nephropathy in an obese diabetic patient after gastric bypass

Epidemiological studies have proven that obesity is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Long-term progression of diabetes leads to various microvascular complications, of which diabetic nephropathy has become of increasing importance, and is the main cause of end-stage renal failure in occidental countries, Microalbuminuria is the first marker of incipient diabetic nephropathy, an early stage glomerulopathy which can progress to renal failure and which historically has been treated with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists. We report a severely obese diabetic patient on treatment for diabetic nephropathy with ACE-inhibitors and poor results, which resolved after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with ileal transposition (SGIT)

Iroduction ariatric surgery has evolved into multiple forms in the last decades, combining food restriction and malabsorption. The aim of this study was to develop a new technique based on food restriction and early stimulation of the distal gut, thus maintaining the alimentary tract continuity.Methods hirty-two Yorkshire pigs, weight 22.2 +/- 5.4 kg (mean +/- SD) were randomly assigned to four laparoscopic procedures: ileal transposition (IT, n = 8); sleeve gastrectomy with ileal transposition (SGIT, n = 8); Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (GBP, n = 8); sham operation (SHAM, n = 8). Firing 45-mm linear staplers over a 60-F bougie, resecting the greater curvature and fundus, constituted a sleeve gastrectomy. Ileal transposition was performed by isolating a 100-cm ileal segment proximal to the ileocecal valve and by dividing the proximal jejunum 15 cm distal to the ligament of Treitz and performing re-anastomosis. Gastric bypass consisted of creating a proximal gastric pouch and a 300 cm alimentary limb. Sham operation was performed by bowel transections and re-anastomosis in the ileum and proximal jejunum together with gastrotomy and closure. Animals were evaluated weekly for weight increase and food intake. We performed a logistic regression analysis to compare weight progression curves, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni (Dunn) tests to detect differences in weight and food intake.Results We observed significant differences in mean weight after 18 weeks between SGIT (30.9 +/- 13.4 kg) and SHAM (72.5 +/- 10.7 kg) (p = 0.0002), and GBP (28.6 +/- 2.5 kg) and SHAM (p = 0.0001), and IT (56.1 +/- 13.4 kg) and SHAM (p = 0.0081). No differences were observed between RYGB and SGIT. We also observed significant differences in food intake (grams per day) in the third month between SGIT (1668 +/- 677 g) versus SHAM (3252 +/- 476 g) (p = 0.0006), and GBP (2011 +/- 565 g) versus SHAM (p = 0.039). No differences were observed in food intake between SGIT and GBP.Conclusion SGIT proved to be as effective in the short term as GBP on weight progression with no bypass of the proximal gut

Antecolic versus retrocolic alimentary limb in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a comparative study

Background: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) has become the most common surgical treatment for morbid obesity. Intestinal obstruction and internal hernias are cornplications more commonly observed after LRYGB than after open RYGB. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of these cornplications in patients who had undergone LRYGB using an antecolic versus a retrocolic technique.Methods: From August 2001 to August 2005, LRYGB was performed in 754 patients. The retrocolic and antecolic technique was used in 300 and 454 consecutive patients, respectively. The mean patient age was 37 10 years, and 552 of the patients (73%) were women. The mean preoperative body mass index was 41.3 +/- 5 kg/m(2). The median follow-up was 16 months.Results: During follow-up, 36 patients (4.7%) underwent surgical exploration secondary to intestinal obstruction. This complication was observed in 28 (9.3%) and 8 (1.8%) patients in the retrocolic and antecolic technique groups, respectively (P < .001). In the retrocolic technique group, an internal hernia developed in 24 patients compared with 3 patients in the antecolic technique group. On multivariate analysis, the retrocolic technique was identified as a risk factor (P < .001).Conclusion: A greater incidence of intestinal obstruction and internal hernia was observed in the retrocolic technique group than in the antecolic technique group undergoing LRYGB. The results of our Study have shown that the use of the retrocolic technique is a risk factor for intestinal obstruction after LRYGB. (Surg Obes Relat Dis 2007 3:423-427.) (C) 2007 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. All rights reserved

Dynamically expressed ELAV is required for learning and memory in bees

AbstractChanges in gene expression are a hallmark of learning and memory consolidation. Little is known about how alternative mRNA processing, particularly abundant in neuron-specific genes, contributes to these processes. Prototype RNA binding proteins of the neuronally expressed ELAV/Hu family are candidates for roles in learning and memory, but their capacity to cross-regulate and take over each other’s functions complicate substantiation of such links. Therefore, we focused on honey bees, which have only a single elav family gene. We find that honey bee elav contains a microexon, which is evolutionary conserved between invertebrates and humans. RNAi knockdown of elav demonstrates that ELAV is required for learning and memory in bees. Indicative of a role as immediate early gene, ELAV is dynamically expressed with altered alternative splicing and subcellular localization in mushroom bodies, but not in other brain parts. Expression and alternative splicing of elav change during memory consolidation illustrating an alternative mRNA processing program as part of a local gene expression response underlying memory formation. Although the honey bee genome encodes only a single elav gene, functional diversification is achieved by alternative splicing.</jats:p

Sleeve gastrectomy as obesity after orthotopic treatment for severe liver transplantation

Obesity is highly prevalent in both liver transplant candidates and recipients, and can have a significant impact on perioperative morbidity and mortality and the overall cost of transplantation. Herein, we describe an obese patient who was managed sequentially with an intragastric balloon in the pre-transplant setting and a gastric sleeve following transplantation, with good long-term results. Sleeve gastrectomy is a non-malabsorptive bariatric procedure with potential benefit for liver transplant patients due to its lack of influence on the absorption of immunosuppressive agents